Japan has the means to surprise and qualify for the quarter-finals of the 2019 World Cup, which will take place next year in the archipelago, said Thursday in Tokyo the New Zealand legend rugby Dan Carter.
"Japan will have to create the feat to get there, but they can do it , " said the 36-year-old opener who left Racing 92 (Top 14) at the end of last season to finish his career at Kobe, at the Kobelco Steelers.
"They have the team, the players and the coaching to get this feat and I will be happy to see them compete in the quarter-finals of the next World Cup" (September 20-November 2, 2019). he told reporters in the Japanese capital.
The Brave Blossoms will probably have to win in Scotland or Ireland to pass the group stage, but their recent performance against New Zealand is promising.
They were largely beaten on Saturday in Yokohama (suburb of Tokyo), by an inexperienced All Blacks (69-31) team, largely composed of young players, but they came out with the honors. "There are not many teams capable of scoring five tries against the All Blacks. The Japanese can be proud of it, " said Carter.
"Not 100% sure"
He also warned his compatriots, ultra-favorites to win a third consecration in a row, against an excess of confidence.
"Being world number one does not guarantee a victory at the World Cup," insisted the player. "There is a lot of competition and a lot of other countries are starting to play a lot better than two years ago. So, I'd like to think that the All Blacks will win, but you're never 100% sure . "
On the other hand, they will be, according to him, probably too strong for England this Saturday in Twickenham. Eddie Jones's men won last weekend a valuable victory against South Africa, but it was in pain and "they will probably struggle to keep up the pace for 80 minutes against the speed of All Blacks game . "
The double world champion (2011 and 2015), triple best player on the planet (2005, 2012 and 2015) and holder of the world record points in selection (1,598 in 112 sel.), Will probably end his career in Japan. "I have been playing now for 15-16 years. I have not made a final decision yet, but I think Japan would be the perfect place to stop, " Carter said Thursday.
If he "can not imagine" a better country to live, he admitted, however, that the language was causing him difficulties. "I spent a lot of time learning French. I could finally speak a little when I left France and start the whole process again with the Japanese is very difficult, " he smiled, concluding his sentence ... in French.